Drive

My faves are Why Get Up and Lucky.

I've had this for years and finally listened to it front to back. What took me so freakin' long! This is a great one. One of my fav RP releases. He is definitely missed.

It's a shame "Drive" has gone unknown by so many Robert Palmer fans, not to mention the music world in general. This album clearly defines Palmer has a blues force in his own right with many blues selections that stay true to their roots. My favorite cut off the album is a cover of ZZ Top's "TV Dinners". I was never found of the original, which to me sounded more like a novelty track, but here Palmer slows it down, pares it down to the basics, and turns it into a bona fide blues classic. If nothing else, it's absolute proof that good, simple music will always overshadow the offerings of today's over-produced - and usually overrated, albums that are currently being produced by the music industry.

I loved Robert Palmer from a distance for most of his career. It was his refusal not to lock into one genre that kept me coming back. His bluesy performances of "Mama Talk to Your Daughter" and "Hound Dog" show his versatility and appreciation of African-American folk music. I can't take in everything on this album but Robert always made me feel like that was due to my lack of growth which I kinda appreciated. BYE Robert!

It is both sad and fitting that Palmer's last album would be one of his best. It is a potpourri of caribbean rhythms, driving Rock, and novel arrangements of forgotten gems. Robert was one of the few Rock musicians who didn't stagnate after his initial burst of creativity: he was solid to the end. If you first want to sample Drive, enjoy the gritty and exciting treatment of Hound Dog.